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Originally Posted by Deaf Smith
OK, looking for a rifle/cartridge that drops the lest at 500 yards.
So far I've check 25-06, 6.5mm RM, 270 WSM, 7mm WSM, 7mm Magnum, .300 WM, .300 WSM.
And so far the least drop seems to be 7mm WSM with 140 gr bullets (35 or so inches.) But there are few rifles now made in 7mm WSM!
Any other rounds that drop less?
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I think you're approaching this flattest shooting 500 yard cartridge all wrong. My guess is you're sitting behind the computer and looking at individual web sites and their ammunition specifications, let me know if I'm wrong? If that is what you're doing realize what is posted on a manufacturers web site isn't always what you'll get in the real world.
I think you need to get on a ballistics web site like JBM and start plugging in numbers based on "Maximum Point Blank Zero" or MPBZ, if you do this you'll significantly flatten the trajectory of most cartridges. I like to zero a hunting rifle for a target of 6" as this gives me a better margin of error since most of what I hunt has a 10" vital zone or larger. You can actually set your target to whatever size you want, and that'll change your trajectory.
Take for example the .25-06 one of the cartridges you mentioned, lets say it shoots a 115 grain Nosler BT at 3000 fps. If you zero for MPBZ on a 6" target at 252 yards, you have a 295 yard range before the bullet drops 3" below line of sight. That means you have only 31" of drop at 500 yards.
An MPBZ depending on 130 grain bullet out of a .270 Win on a 6" target will get you to 29" at 500 yards. .270 WSM with the same 130 grain bullet will drop 23" at 500 with a MPBZ. Your 7mm WSM will get you to 22" of drop at 500 yards with a MPBZ on a 6" target and the .26 Nosler with 140 grain bullet will drop 19" at 500 yards.
I think if you do this it might change your outlook and what is important to you. You're looking at only 10" difference between the .26 Nosler and the .270 Win. Is it worth the extra cost to save a few inches on trajectory to go with a less common cartridge?